Westbrook sweeps Verbena by combined score of 44-0

Friday

Apr 20, 2018 at 10:37 PMApr 20, 2018 at 10:49 PM

RAINBOW CITY — Scoring 18 runs in the first inning of a game could send some teams’ focus flittering into the ether.

Coach Matt Kennedy was pleased that didn’t happen Friday night to his sixth-ranked Westbrook Warriors, who swept Verbena 31-0 and 13-0 in the opening round of the Class 2A high school baseball playoffs.

The Warriors (22-7) host unranked Vincent in next week’s second round, with a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. Friday and a single game if necessary at 1 p.m. April 28.

Vincent (18-11) swept Cleveland 11-2 and 14-4 Friday to advance.

Westbrook settled things early with that first-inning outburst, which saw it bat around twice and ultimately send 22 hitters to the plate. The Warriors maintained that momentum until the last two innings of the twinbill, the only innings in which they failed to score. Both games were called after five innings.

“To me, it was good to get the first round under our belts,” Westbrook coach Matt Kennedy said. “Our guys came out and executed like they were supposed to, which is what it’s all about. I’m proud of how they stayed in the game and stayed focused, and both our pitchers did a great job.”

Greyson Robinson threw a no-hitter in the opener, allowing only two base runners on an error in the first inning and a hit batsman in the fifth. He struck out 10.

Jordan Reynolds fanned 11 in the nightcap, giving up singles in the fourth and fifth innings and hit batsmen in the second and fifth innings.

Westbrook scored three runs in the second inning of the opener, batted around again in the third and scored eight runs, and tacked on two runs in the fourth.

The Warriors pounded out 24 hits, with every batter in the starting lineup and all but one player who went to the plate in the game hitting safely. Garret Kennedy ripped a grand slam in the first inning and drove in five runs in the game. Cullen Stafford had four RBI and Andrew Dutton, Joseph Gilchrist and Robinson three each. Seven runs scored on Verbena errors, and Red Devil pitchers hit six Westbrook batters (putting two more batters on base via that route in the second game). Jacob Sanders was the losing pitcher.

Westbrook broke on top with five runs in the first inning of the nightcap, scored seven in the second and a final run in the third. It had 11 hits in the game.

Kennedy had three hits, scored twice and stole two bases. Robinson drove in four runs.

T.J. White was the losing pitcher. Verbena wound up 3-16.

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